Sabbath Thought – Lay Aside Every Weight

In 1977 Jim Fixx wrote the bestseller The Complete Book of Running. His book helped ignite the U.S. jogging/running movement. Curiously, Mr. Fixx didn’t start running until he was 35 years old, weighed 214 lbs. (97 kg.), and smoked cigarettes. He knew he was at high risk for heart issues since many in his family died young from heart disease. So, he started running, lost 60 lbs. (27 kg.) and quit smoking. His book spent 11 weeks at the number one spot on the New York Times Best Seller list. Jim Fixx died in 1984 at age 52 from a heart attack. While he died relatively young, many of his friends and family believed that running gave Jim many extra years since his father had died at age 43 from a heart attack.

The personal fitness industry really took off in the 1980s, and even the apparel associated with physical exercise underwent changes. Lightweight fabrics replaced heavier cotton or other fabrics. Running shoes changed dramatical with lighter materials and impact absorbing soles. These advances have continued to the point that sport organizations have regulations on certain materials that give too much assistance to the runner in faster competition times.

Many of these advances in materials also came about because trainers, coaches and athletes began to recognize that even a small amount of weight savings can make the difference in simply finishing a race or placing in the top three. Weight over distance compounds. A pound weight is no big thing to hold, but to carry that for miles becomes an increasing challenge.

We are in a spiritual race, and thankfully it is more of a marathon than a sprint. We have time to adjust for, and correct, mistakes. We read of this metaphor of a race in Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” 

In our race we can also consider the unnecessary weight we may try to carry that will slow us down or wear us out so that we don’t finish the race. We also have the “advantage” of the examples of the faithful who have proceeded us in their race – what lessons we can learn regarding things they did well, or even to know why to stay away from the things that they didn’t do well. 

This Sabbath day is the perfect time to consider things such as this. What did I do well this past week? What can I do better in the coming week? What are you carrying in your race that you don’t need to? This is the value of self-examination. Are we stripping away aspects of our carnal nature (with God’s help) over time so we are carrying less and less of that? As we consider and do that, Christ assists us by helping to lighten our “load”. We read of this in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Jim Fixx helped himself have more years than he probably would have had if he had not changed his lifestyle. But all exercise is temporary on a physical level – we still age and ultimately die. The Apostle Paul recognized this as well – “For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come,” (1 Timothy 4:8). 

Exercise toward godliness so we can be profitable in all things for the promise God has given for us to be in His family forever.

I wish you a very meaningful Sabbath,

Dan Dowd

24 October, 2026